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NFT's CATO membership speech
The following speech by NFT President Sidney Hank was broadcast live on Worldwide One throughout the NFT and, by extension, the world, in 2014. "Good evening ladies and gentlemen. This is the second time I have spoken to you directly. The last time was at my inauguration, when I spoke of the many changes and challenges ahead of us all, and the bright future that I believe lies ahead of our recently unified nations. It is of these two things that I want to speak to you again today. In all the decisions I have made during my tenure in office, I have always tried to do what was best for my fellow shareholders: today as president of the Trust, and earlier as president of San Dorado. It was in that latter position that I found myself a principled supporter of the formation of the Frequesuan Treaty Organization, an alliance among whose many noble goals it was to empower our continent, and to defend it from ignoble outside influence. Throughout the long and difficult period that is the recent history of our continent I have felt it was my duty to persevere, to make every possible effort to achieve these goals, and to balance them with the interests of our shareholders— interests. In the past few months, however, it has become evident to me that we no longer have a good enough reason to justify continuing that effort. As I recall the high hopes I had when the FTO began its great work, I feel a great sadness now that I realize that it is failing in those tasks. Because it failing. In the south of our continent the Empire of Tian Xia is expanding its sphere of influence, and the FTO is unable to muster a response. Our efforts to stabilize the CFR have stalled. And even as our Trust prospers some of our closest allies now experience great internal unrest, about which again we can do little. These are matters of deep concern to me. As long as there was a base of confidence in the Frequesuan Treaty Organization, I felt strongly that it was necessary to see the troubles through, that to do otherwise would be unfaithful to the spirit of our alliance. But as our two nations entered a new era as a political and economic union I also had to ask myself, is the membership of this alliance still in our best interest? Unfortunately, the answer is no. I cannot in good conscience ask of you, the shareholders of the North Frequesuan Trust, to continue to support an organization which involves the overriding issues of war and peace unless this support yields fruit -- something it unfortunately has done far too little. Ladies and gentlemen, it is therefore with a heavy heart that I make known to you the secession of the North Frequesuan Trust from the Frequesuan Treaty Organization, effective at noon tomorrow. At that same moment our union will join the Continental Alliance Treaty Organization. As I speak to you now Chairman Lorenz of Coilerburg and President Sinclair of San Dorado are signing the necessary treaty documents. I am proud we have been part of the FTO. I am proud of all the things we have achieved together: the cooperation of industries, the economic progress, the peace we have brought in the central Frequesue. But it is time to move on. It is time to cut loose some of the ties that bind us to this struggling continent and seize that bright future I promised you at my inauguration. As a member of CATO, our union and its shareholders will enjoy all the benefits that come with being part of a growing brotherhood of nations who strive for technological progress and free trade. It gives us an opportunity to make friends with former opponents, breaks open markets that were formerly closed to us, and gains us staunch allies with world-spanning capabilities. It is the firm belief of not just me, but also of the San Dorado Board of Directors, the Corporate Congress of Coilerburg and the Syndicate of the North Frequesuan Trust that the decision to join the ranks of this august alliance will guarantee a future of peace and profit in the NFT and in the world. To our friends on Frequesue I want to say that I hope our decision will generate no bitterness or resentment. We wish to continue working with you to guarantee peace on our continent. We remain committed to Frequesuan stability and prosperity, and we will honor the free trade agreement that has done so much for our continent. In no way or shape will our new affiliation attempt to impede or hinder your success. We are -- and I want to make this particularly clear -- your friends, and will continue to be so in the future, fully and faithfully. My fellow shareholders, in recent years our union of nations has come far and achieved much. But tonight I pledge to you that we are setting the first step on a road to a future brighter and more promising than any of us could have conceived of. The future is ours, and together we shall make history. Good night, and good luck." Category:Sidney Hank